A tale of two cities

Charles Dickens

It was the best of books and possibly the best of recorded versions. Dickens’s dramatic narrative of the French Revolution and the unremitting vengeance of both Mesdames Defarge and La Guillotine are brought to life by Gordon Griffin’s fully voiced reading. His reading is not as rushed as some, but is equally dramatic with flawless enunciation and a broad tonal range. What’s more, each thirty-five minute side of the twelve tapes has a certain narrative completeness, ending with about thirty seconds of period harpsichord music. Classroom teachers might find these tapes useful for introducing the book, dealing with difficult passages or simply encouraging reluctant readers.